Current USD Student Opinions

[ah0440]

I have been accepted to USD for the fall.  I am still weighing other options, but would like some opinions from current USD students.  Do you like USD?  Any regrets?  USD has a very high attrition rate.  Why do you think that is?

Any advice/opinions would help.  Thanks.

[Aonghus]

I enjoy my professors.  Not fond of administration with a few exceptions.  Admissions/Financial aid dont really seem to give 2 shits about anything.

Overall, I'd say that Im as happy as I can be going to a local school.  Job search will be okay, might make a little less than I would like to but most everyone ends up employed.

My only regret is not taking a chance on the Ave Maria full ride. Working full time while taking 10 units is a female dog in law school, especially with 2+ hours a day on the road.

From what I hear, there is about a 15% attrition rate at USD, half of them are asked to either not come back or reapply for admission because they at the bottom end of the grade scale (bottom 3% dont get to reapply), the other half either transfer out (USD isnt very generous with continuing scholarships, ends up to be only about top 5%), and if you are top 10%, you are likely to get into some pretty decent schools as a transfer.  Last year I heard we had xfers to Texas, Cornell, Gulc, and michigan.. OR they quit because they hate the law.

what are your options? 

[ah0440]

Thanks for the reply.  My other options are U of Miami, U of Denver and U of Utah.  Why did you choose USD?  Have you considered transferring?  Are you in the night or day division?

I was given a 1/2 tuition scholarship for my first year at USD.  It sounds like I shouldn't count on being able to keep that in the future. 

I have read in numerous places that the USD administration sucks.  Do you think they are improving? 

Also I will be moving to San Diego if I go to USD.  Do you have any suggestions on where to live?

Thanks again for your help.     

[The Silent Chief]

RE: attrition rate.  I am an incoming PT student, so this is just hearsay, conjecture, and word of mouth... but I wouldn't worry about these figures. 

1.  It's a small school, 15% is not a hard number to reach.  It only takes a couple handful.
2.  There are some great higher ranked, cheaper state schools in the state.  The "transfer ups"
3.  If you fail out... hell it just wasn't meant to be.  An expensive experiment, but there are worse lots in life.  From talking with students and administration, I feel that the support system is in place.  It is simply up to the individual to reach out and take advantage of the opportunity.
4.  I feel that USD may attract it's fair share of mindles 20 something "So.... I graduated college, now what? I know, more school on the beaches of San Diego!"  Obviously a recipe for disaster.

Almost all of your other questions are answered in other threads on this board and the pre-law board.

[hmusd]

Hi,

I am attending USD as a 1L this fall.  I struggled with some of your same issues.  I ended up choosing USD over the other schools I applied to (Denver U being one of them, too) because I decided it is better to be miserable studying all the time in the sunshine.  At least it is pretty there, if nothing else.  USD has a highly ranked faculty, which means that even if the school isn't ranked as high, the education I get there will be great. 

I hated the actual law school building, it was very dark and almost looked like a monastery on the inside.  The avg. age of 1L's is 24, which is significantly younger than most schools, but oh well.  I will be starting at the age 27. 

Maybe I'll see you there...